Electric outlet fixture and extension cord therefor



1940- w. F. BORKENSTEIN 2,136,601

ELECTRIC OUTLET FIXTURE AND EXTENSION CORD THEREFOR Filed May 13, 1958 Mil/am BoPGnSZ GI H INVENTOR 2 %QOATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED s'rarss PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC OUTLET FIXTURE AND EXTENSION CORD THEREFOR 1 Claim.

constituted as to shelter its contacting members,

and to provide also a connecting plug for an extension cord so formed as to permit quick application and removal of the plug with respect to its operative relation with said fixture, the purpose being to enable the operator to form an electric connection between feed wires and the wires of an extension cord readily without attendant groping.

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the following description.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a wall fixture constituting a part of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View showing a vertical section projected from Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an adapter, another part of the invention, for connection with said fixture;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the adapter;

Fig. 5 is a side view showing one form of the adapter for connection with said fixture;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the adapter shown in Fig. 5; and i Fig. '3 is a fragmentary perspective rear View of the wall fixture and adapters of several types in connection. therewith.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention is constituted of a wall plate i having therein a chamber 2 that is closed in the rear of the plate by a back 3, the plate and the back being formed of insuiating material. The front face of the plate I has an opening 4 therein preferably having the shape of a keyhole, vizz-the upper endof the hole is comparatively larger than the lower portion which constitutes a narrow continuation 5 of the enlarged portion. The chamber 2 is substantially as wide as the upper end of the opening 4 and extends downwardly in the plate through the bottom thereof to afford egress for such dust or transient foreign matter that may enter the chamber through. the keyhole opening, thus to obviate accumulation of such matter within the chamber.

That portion of the front face of the plate having the elongated continuation 5 therein affords opposing guides 6 spaced apart, and also the sides of the chamber 2 within the plate afford parallel walls l that are spaced suitably distant from the corresponding inner edges of the guide 6. Upon each side wall 'I is disposed an elongated electrical contactor 8 secured preferably by a binding screw 9 adapted for attachment of an electric conductor l whereby electrical connection established between the corresponding conductor and contactor.

A contact-forming plug I l is provided which is adapted to be mounted in connection with the 'wall fixture by means of which an electric extension cord I2 is secured so that the circuit wires I3 and I4 are placed in connection with the contactors 8 when the plug is operatively connected with the wall fixture. The plug I I has made in its opposite sides slots I in which the corresponding guides 6 are received when the plug is introduced into the large end of the opening 4 and moved downwardly between the con tactors 8 thus securing the plug in operating position relative to the wall fixture. Thus, the plug 1 I has upon one end thereof opposite peripheral exposed contactors I6 by which is established electrical connections with the corresponding contactors 8 in the wall fixture when said plug is in operative position.

In some instances, it is desirable to form electrical connections with the wall fixture by use of an ordinary connecting plug I! provided with an extension cord I8 such as is in common practice. In such event an adapter I9 is provided that is similar in form to the plug I I, there being provided in its sides slots 29 for the reception of the corresponding guides 6 when the adapter is placed in connection with the wall fixture in the same manner as in the former instance, said adapter having contactors 2| by which is established electrical connection with the contactors 8 in the wall fixture with circuit wires fill-23 in the extension cord I8, through the medium of the ordinary plug I I. The adapter has formed therein sockets 24 for the reception of the extending prongs (not shown) with which the ordinary connecting plug I'l is provided so that contacts are formed with the electrical members 25 that are located in said sockets and have connection with the conductors 2! respectively. Thus, is permitted disconnection of the extension cord I8 from the adapter I9 without removal of the adapter from the wall fixture, which is advantageous especially when frequent connections Operation In using the invention the conductors it! that lead froina suitable source of electric energy (not shown) are connected with the contactors 8 by the screws 9, and the plate l is secured to the Wall of a building or other suitable mount, there being provided bolt holes 25 extending through the plate and back for the reception. of screws (not shown) that are applied to hold the wall fixture in a position so that the keyholeopening is exposed and accessible. The. circuit wires, 13

r and M are connected in the usualnianner to whatever electrical device (not shown) thatxis to be energized. The plug it is then inserted through the enlarged end of the opening 4 and manipulated so as to be moved downwardly into the elongated continuation 5 between the guides ii. which extend into the slots H3 in the plug thus preventing turning of the plug in the fixture and insuring engagement of the contactors i3 and it. thus completing the electrical circuit. The plug is readily removed merely by elevating the plug into the enlarged portion of the opening and withdrawing it. When the adapter is used, it is placed in connection with the wall fixture, in the same manner as the plug previously described, after which the ordinary connecting plug H, which has connected therewith an extension cord, is attached or removed from the adapter as in the customary practice.

As. indicated in the drawing the elongated con tinuation may be of such length as to permit.

assemblage therein of several adapters or plugs as occasion may require.

A feature of the invention is that the con tactors B are located back of the guides 5 where they are sheltered from exposure so as to prevent accidental shock from physical contact therewith, and a further feature is that the connecting plug and the adapter areprovided with guide-receiving slots so that the plug or adapter when inserted in operative position in the fixture there will be established proper electrical connections between the contactors on the plug or adapter with the contactors in the fixture.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may readily be made by exercise of engineering skill without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention, and the following claimis intended to be inclusive of such variations.

What I claim is:

An electrical outlet fixture and connection plug therefor, said fixture consisting of a wall plate having a chamber that is open at the bot tom thereof, the front wall of said plate having a plugreceiv;ing aperture therein. communicating with said chamber, upper end portion of said aperture being enlarged and the lower portion the i being comparatively narrower and terminai at point above the bottom of said plate, these portions of the front of said plate adjacent the narrow portion of the aperture constituting plug-supporting the side walls of said chamber adjacent said guides having thereon contectors oppositely disposed, said connection plug having side slots for the reception of said guides and provided with other contactors on periphery oppositely disposed and engageable with the corresponding contactors in said fixture when the plug is in place.

WILLIAIM F. BORKENSTEIN. 

